After a long week at work and dealing with family and other stressors, it is normal to feel a little worn out and fried. All you want to do is sit back and hide from the world, no longer answering your phone or doing anything else. When we are on the run 24 hours a day, it is hard to find time to rest and recharge the way that we want.
Self-care is a great way to help prevent some of this burnout and give you the recharge that you need. There are different techniques that you can try, but some of the best ways to mentally refresh after a stressful day includes:
Take a Warm Bath or Hot Shower
Hot water is a great way to relax the muscles and make you feel better. When you are getting ready to curl up into bed and try to let go of all the stress in your life, then it is time to jump into some warm water to help get you ready for some good sleep.
Ease out some of the tensions of the day with a quick shower, using some really warm water, or slip into the tub and add some of the best in bath salts to really calm the mind and the body. Take the time to pamper yourself and you will be amazed at how great you feel after.
Do an Exfoliating Scrub
When you are worn out from a long and stressful day, it is important to take good care of the body along the way. An exfoliating scrub is a great way to give the skin some of the radiant glow that it deserves, while also reducing some of the stress that you may feel from a bad day.
As you do the scrub, you will gently massage the body. This can release some of the tension in the body while promoting better circulation. In the process, it will release some of those stress toxins out of the body and can make you feel amazing too. Even a few minutes can be beneficial to helping you feel great.
Consider Some Aromatherapy
There are a few promising studies that show how inhaling the right essential oils may be enough to reduce some of the stress that you feel. There are a lot of great options that you can use. If you are trying to fall asleep and reduce stress, then something like lavender or chamomile are the best.
You can also use this as a way to refresh and feel better as well. Something citrusy will make a big difference in improving your mood if you want to stay up as well. Lemon does a great job, but any kind of citrus will help.
Read a Book or Watch a Movie
Take your mind off some of the stressors that you feel during the day by engaging the mind in something else. You can open an inspiring book, or a good piece of fiction that captures your attention, or turn on a good film to give yourself some time to disconnect from the world and just enjoy life.
While this won’t magically make your problems disappear, it does give your mind a break from all of the mental stress you are feeling and can take the pressure off as you ride it out and learn how to relax. Pick something that will just let you turn off for a bit, so avoid the thrillers and horror films as you relax.
Stretch and Exercise
While it is tempting to just sit around and do nothing after a stressful day, these can actually make the problem so much worse. Instead, you can spend a few minutes getting up and moving to help the body feel better.
For example, a few minutes of yoga can be restful and can get the tension out of the muscles. Or even go for a 20-minute walk around the block to spend some time in nature and have that chance to energize and refresh. Find something that you enjoy doing to relieve all the pressure.
Meditate
Finish your day with a bit of meditation. Whether you have ten minutes or an hour, a meditation session can do wonders for slowing down your breathing and helping you feel amazing in the process. Learn how to quiet the mind and let it relax as you do deep and cleansing breaths to send all of the stress away as far as it can go, giving you some relief.
Utilize Somatic Therapy
Another method that you can use to help handle life after a stressful day is somatic therapy. This is a type of psychotherapy that will focus on the mind and body connection. It will emphasize how important the body is when it comes to the healing process. You will learn how to become more aware of your bodies and how it feels to improve mental health.
There are different forms of somatic therapy that you can use to help prepare the body and mind. You can do breath-work exercise to help relax and clear your thoughts, EMDR to focus the eyes in a way to handle traumatic memories, and energy release that will help bring more relaxation and calm.
Working with a professional will help you understand which method will be the right one for you. Since this therapy will work on the mind and the body, it is one of the most effective methods to help you see success.
Recharging After a Tough Day
It is normal to have a rough day. Things don’t always go the way that you planned and can leave you stressed out and worried. But finding a way to recharge and feel better at the end of it can help you relax and take some of the stress out of your life. Follow some of the tips above to see how you can cut out the stress and mentally refresh yourself in no time.
